SafetyThird
Section Hiker
After being away with work for 3 months, I'm finally home and able to get out later this week for an overnight on Dartmoor. I'm testing a few new things such as some pacer poles and a grid fleece base layer that I picked up used on here. New purchases include a polartec alpha top and the big one is hiking in trail shoes for the first time on a proper backpack trip rather than day hike. Dartmoor is notoriously damp so be interesting to see how that goes, I almost always hike in lightweight boots rather than shoes..
The thing I always have trouble doing is picking the right clothes and I always take too much so this is a trial to see if the latest choice and purchases are a better option and keep me lighter.
I may swap out the base layer for a long-sleeved shirt if the temperatures on Thursday/friday are as high as they were today but that leaves me with just a very thin polartec alpha top and a windproof for the evening when it's cooler and I'm not moving. Then again, I can just curl up with the dog I may also change out the Montane trousers for some lighter convertible Craghoppers I've got. Neither of those things will change the pack weight though.
Sleep gear will be the polartec alpha top and some lightweight leggings under the quilt.
The other heavy item is the dog's sleeping bag. At over a kilo, it's probably overkill for the summer so I'm looking for an alternative. I take a fleece coat for him so it's a case of trying to find some form of lightweight blanket and a mat on the ground of some form to keep him warm while packing smaller and lighter. A bit of 3mm Evazote 1mx0.75m should be about right and less than 100g, just need to pick that up for next time. He carries his own food, water and bowl etc in some doggie panniers but the sleeping bag is too bulky to fit in that.
Without his sleeping bag I'm at about 8kg plus food, which about as light as I've ever been before.
Happy to take suggestions from the crowd for ways to improve.
https://lighterpack.com/r/b6fbur
The thing I always have trouble doing is picking the right clothes and I always take too much so this is a trial to see if the latest choice and purchases are a better option and keep me lighter.
I may swap out the base layer for a long-sleeved shirt if the temperatures on Thursday/friday are as high as they were today but that leaves me with just a very thin polartec alpha top and a windproof for the evening when it's cooler and I'm not moving. Then again, I can just curl up with the dog I may also change out the Montane trousers for some lighter convertible Craghoppers I've got. Neither of those things will change the pack weight though.
Sleep gear will be the polartec alpha top and some lightweight leggings under the quilt.
The other heavy item is the dog's sleeping bag. At over a kilo, it's probably overkill for the summer so I'm looking for an alternative. I take a fleece coat for him so it's a case of trying to find some form of lightweight blanket and a mat on the ground of some form to keep him warm while packing smaller and lighter. A bit of 3mm Evazote 1mx0.75m should be about right and less than 100g, just need to pick that up for next time. He carries his own food, water and bowl etc in some doggie panniers but the sleeping bag is too bulky to fit in that.
Without his sleeping bag I'm at about 8kg plus food, which about as light as I've ever been before.
Happy to take suggestions from the crowd for ways to improve.
https://lighterpack.com/r/b6fbur
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